From City to Surf: Elevated Walkway Connects Downtown Honolulu to Ala Moana Beach Park

A new pedestrian bridge in Honolulu now links downtown to Ala Moana Beach Park, offering a safer and more scenic route across the heavily trafficked Ala Moana Boulevard, Fast Company reported. The $17.8 million project, primarily funded by a federal grant and facilitated by the Hawaii Department of Transportation, was supported locally by developer Howard Hughes Corporation, which contributed land, design funding, and environmental documentation.

The bridge is part of Victoria Ward Park, a two-phase public green space within the 60-acre Ward Village development. Designed by Vita Planning and Landscape Architecture, the park emphasizes an ocean-to-inland connection that puts pedestrians and cyclists staying at hotels or Airbnbs in the Honolulu city center closer to beach access. The first phase, covering 1.4 acres, is open, with the second phase of approximately two acres expected to be completed later this year.

Photo courtesy Ward Village

Ward Village aims to transform former warehouse land into a mixed-use urban neighborhood, featuring over 5,000 residential units, nearly 1 million square feet of retail space, and more than three acres of public green space. Several condominium buildings are already occupied, with many future units pre-sold, generating over $6 billion in revenue according to Howard Hughes’ 2024 annual report.

Doug Johnstone, president of Howard Hughes’ Hawaii region, told Fast Company the goal is to make the neighborhood more walkable and connected. “It’s inherently a little disjointed and difficult to get around.

The bridge’s design includes artwork and winding paths through tropical landscaping, offering both aesthetic appeal and functional connectivity. It serves as a model for integrating infrastructure with public spaces, aiming to improve urban livability without expanding the city’s footprint. For travelers, this means easier access to the beach for those staying in the city as well as the ability to walk or cycle to operators like Living Ocean Tours for a day on the water.